Sodium in Water
Sodium compounds constitute 2.83% of the crust of the Earth. Owing to the fact that most sodium salts are extremely soluble in water, any sodium that is leached from soil or discharged into streams will usually remain in solution. There are no important precipitation reactions that can maintain low sodium concentrations in water in the way that carbonate precipitation controls calcium concentrations.
In igneous rocks, sodium is only slightly more abundant than potassium, but in sediments, sodium is much less abundant. The amount of sodium held in evaporite sediments and in solution in the ocean is an important part of the total. Sodium is retained by absorption on mineral surfaces, especially by minerals with high cation exchange capacities such as clays. In resistate sediments, sodium may be present in unaltered mineral grains as an impurity in the cementing material or as crystals of readily soluble sodium salts deposited with the sediments or left in the sediments by saline water. These soluble salts go into solution readily.
In average soft waters, the equivalent percentage of sodium is second to that of calcium. In hard water, the proportion is less, usually following below calcium and magnesium concentrations. The most common form of sodium in natural waters is NaCl. In saline lakes such as Great Salt Lake, its salt content ranges from 24 to 26%.
Sodium saturated soils are greasy to feel. Sodium soil colloids swell, closing the pores of the soil and reducing soil permeability to water and air. Thus high sodium concentrations in soils are detrimental to water movement and plant growth.
The deterioration of soil quality because of sodium in the irrigation water is a steady cumulative process with impaired drainage resulting in even more highly concentrated soil solutions.
Sodium in domestic water supplies may be harmful to persons suffering from cardiac, renal and circulatory diseases, and as much as 200 mg/L of sodium from drinking water may be injurious.
Some concentrations of sodium supports good fish fauna. Ordinarily the concentration of sodium plus potassium is less than 6 mg/L in about 5%; less than 10 mg/L in about 50%; and less than 85 mg/L in about 95% of the waters.
End of Basic Water Science
More about specific cations and anions…Potassium in Water
Manganese in Water
Aluminum in Water
Carbonate and Bicarbonate in Water
Sulfate in Water
Chloride in Water
Fluoride in Water
Chemical Water Quality Parameters <<<...return
Dissolved Gasses in Water
Primary Nutrients in Water and Eutrophication
Toxic Constituents in Water
Pesticides in Water
Oil in Water
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